The invention relates to a device for processing a consumable in the form of a viscous to pasty mass, in particular a consumable based on fat, such as chocolate, or a consumable based on water, such as ice cream, with metering unit for the metered supply of a specific volume of the mass to molding units.
The metering unit has a chamber with a sealable inlet opening and a sealable outlet opening for the mass to be metered, as well as a sealed displacement body that extends into the chamber and can move around therein, which can move between a first setting, at which the outlet opening is closed and the inlet opening is open, and the cavity volume defined between the displacement body and the chamber has its greatest value, and a second setting, at which the inlet opening is closed and the outlet opening is open, and the cavity volume defined between the displacement body and the chamber has its smallest value.
The inlet opening and outlet opening can here be closed by means of an inlet valve or outlet valve.
Defined as a result is a metering volume, which reflects the difference between the greatest value and the smallest value for the cavity volume formed between the displacement body and the chamber.
In the known devices of the design specified at the outset, hydraulic or pneumatic devices are used to power the displacement bodies and valves.
Such a device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,733 or EP 1 196 044, for example.
The known devices of the design described at the outset are used for processing a food.
However, the use hydraulic drives in processing foods is not entirely without problems, since the hygiene necessary for food processing cannot be readily ensured. For example, the food may become contaminated while being processed if hydraulic oil leaks or a hydraulic line bursts.
The disadvantage to pneumatic drives is that they exhibit a slight rigidity, resulting in shortcomings relating to metering accuracy.